Who would replace Welch -- Flowers?

If Ken Welch decides to run for mayor of St. Petersburg, he would have to step down from his District 7 County Commission seat. According to Welch, his advisers have told him he would have to announce his resignation from the seat by the time of qualifying this coming summer.

He'd be able to remain in office while campaigning for mayor, he said, but regardless of whether he won or lost would be out of his commission job in January 2010 when the new mayor is sworn in. The governor would then appoint a replacement to fill out the rest of Welch's four-year term. District 7 would be up for election in 2012.

The governor's appointment would have to live in District 7. Welch said St. Petersburg City Council member and mayoral contender Jamie Bennett fits the bill, but he sees Rene Flowers as a natural choice. Flowers, a former St. Petersburg City Council member, lost a bid in November for the County Commission seat now held by Nancy Bostock.

"I think Rene Flowers would be the logical one," Welch said. "We've worked a lot together, and she understands the district."

Will Van Sant, Times Staff Writer

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Comments

Damn!… I hate being right.

[Kevin]

So… let me see if I have this straight… Welch feels that Rene’ is good enough to replace him “now”… but… just a few short months ago he dis’d her for Darden (after getting Rice to play ball), then did nothing for Rene’ (or any other Democrat for that matter) during the General Election, which allowed for another Republican string puppet to join the BOCC and maintain the SSDD (Same Sh-t, Different Dupe) manifesto!

BRILLIANT!

[m]

Why Flowers?????

To make up for dis'ing her in 08, and so she wont run against him in 12.

Check with the SOE because when Nancy Bostock ran for CC she had more than two years left of her term and there was an election. Ken's seat will be an election if it's done the same way.

Not sure person

The Mayoral race is an off-cycle, therefore, an appointment will be required.

Make no mistake about it, appointments are the wave of the future, and soon to be the "New" American Democracy.

2:40 nailed it on the head

A County Commissioner using the word "logical" is an oximoron.

[Reality]

A dichotomy only few could understand… in a manner of speaking… or posting as it were.

oxymoron, moron

6:44,

Sorry for the type-o... and that "little" problem you've been having. How's the Vette running?

[The Voice of Truth and Reason]

The idea of a Republican Governor appointing a Liberal White Democrat (Bennett) or a Staunch African American Democrat (Flowers) strikes me as a very remote possibility. While I believe Gov. Crist will probably view this as a "African American" seat, I think it much more likely that he will appoint a pseudo-Republican African American like Gibbons or Rouson. Although, he might appoint a lesser known but more legitimate Republican African American. Maybe we could beg JC Watts to move to St Petersburg quickly!

Paul Beddinghaus would be the correct appointment.

ugh

[saintpetersblog]

I think there is only one name on the shortlist to replace Ken and it's Watson Haynes.

Liberal, staunch republican, left, right, R, D, blahblahblahblah… save the rhetoric for the water cooler wannabes and pompous political pinheads. Chuck will appoint whomever his puppet masters tell him to, and it wont have a damn thing to do with qualifications, integrity, duty, or what is in the best interest of this county.

If integrity, honor, and sense of public service and duty had anything to do with it… and if Crist had any of that to begin with… he would have fired every last one of them ½ after taking his oath of office.

He’ll appoint whomever he told to, puke some pandering comments, toss in a “drop like a rock”, pose for a few photo’s… and it’s SSDD (Same Sh-t, Different Dupe).

There are a lot of good people the gov could appoint... nothing says it has to be an African American. It is NOT a majority African American district... and even it was were we should appoint the best person, not the person of the "right" color.

Welch will not be mayor and Flowers is a joke. Lets get some white people in and clean up the neighborhood like it was years ago. Has anyone seen Obama's birth certificate yet?

[The Phantom]

My question is: What would any of them do about this?

BREAKING NEWS!

“BayWalk foreclosed”

--- A Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Circuit judge ordered the foreclosure shortly after 11 a.m. this morning. Judge J. Thomas McGrady set a public auction for Feb. 13. Until then, the property technically will remain in the posession of STP Redevelopment, a company owned by Fred Bullard.
Mel and Co. will walk free and clear, leaving the taxpayers on the hook!

Tell us, Mr/Ms Mayor Hopeful… “Exactly” what do you intend to do about this, and will you accept campaign contribution from Mel and Co. or any bundlers thereof?

Did I mention that I think Rene is hot?

gross

[The Phantom]

Well... we're waiting!

[Campaign Manager]

Yes, but is the governor likely to replace him with a Democrat?

[None of the Above]

The Governor will absolutely replace Mr Welch's seat with a democrat, DINO or otherwise, so as to maintain a the appearance of a bipartisan Commission -- afterall, this is the faustian deal that has been worked out by the republican powerbrokers in Pinellas County -- namely 5 openly Republican Seats and 2 "snicker snicker" Democratic seats.

Further, this District is gerrymandered to deliver approximately 60K democratic voters against 30K Republican voters (regardles of the quality of the actual candidates running), it's that simple.

Additionally, wether it turns out to be Ms Flowers or not, it will almost certainly be an African American.

Hopefully, it will be someone of substance.

Chuck will appoint whomever Mel and Co. tells him to, and whoever it is will most certainly lack substance. We don’t want to upset the applecart now do we?